GMC Acadia
Rear Disc Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake pads on
a 1st generation 2007 to 2016 GMC Acadia with photo illustrated steps.
2016 Acadia Rear Wheel |
Rear Floor Jack Point |
Slightly Loosen Lug Nuts |
This
automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist
owners of the first generation (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016) GMC Acadia in changing the rear disc
brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins. Owners of other General Motors vehicles such as the Buick Verano, Regal, LaCrosse, Cascada, Encore, Enclave, Envision, GMC Canyon, Sierra 1500, Terrain, Yukon, Denali, Savana, Spark, Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Impala, Volt, Camaro, Corvette, SS, Trax, Equinox, Traverse, Tahoe, Suburban, Colorado, Silverado and Express may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. A few compatible replacement sets of new rear brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Wagner QC883, Centric Parts 300.08830, Monroe CX883, TRW TPC1507, Akebono ASP883, Akebono ACT883, ACDelco 17D883CH, Dura International BP883 C, Wagner ZD1507, Bosch BC883, Raybestos PGD883C, Prime Choice SMK883 and Wagner QC1507. The tools needed to complete this procedure include a floor jack, two jack stands, a lug nut wrench, a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench, an 18mm wrench, a "C" or "F" clamp and a tube of high temperature synthetic brake parts lubricant grease. |
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Raise Rear of SUV |
Spin Off 6 Lug Nuts |
Six Lug Nuts Removed |
The first few steps
are to park the vehicle on a level surface, turn off the engine and make
sure that the emergency / parking is not engaged. Be sure to chock both sides of the front wheels to keep the SUV from moving. Slightly loosen the 6 lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise with the tire iron. Raise the rear of the vehicle and securely support it with at least two jack stands. I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time to keep three wheels on ground for extra safety. Spin off the six lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place. |
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Caliper, Bracket & Rotor |
Rear Brake Caliper |
Loosen Upper Caliper Bolt |
Remove the rear
wheel to reveal the caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension. Loosen the top caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench. |
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Hold Slider Pin - 18mm |
Loosen 14mm Caliper Bolt |
Loosen Lower Caliper Bolt |
If the caliper
slider pin moves as you are attempting to loosen the caliper bolt, hold it
in place with an 18mm wrench. Then loosen the lower 14mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the SUV). |
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Remove Lower Bolt |
Spin Out Top Bolt |
Two Caliper Bolts Removed |
Spin out the two caliper bolts and set them aside in a safe place. | ||
Pull Off Rear Brake Caliper |
Rest Caliper On Suspension |
Remove Old Outer Pad |
Lift the rear
caliper out of the bracket and off the old pads. Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord. Pull the old inner and outer brake pads out of the bracket. |
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Wear Bars - Both Pads |
Replace Pad Abutment Clips |
Lubricate Caliper Slider Pins |
Make a mental note
of where the wear indicator or "squeal" bars are situated on the old pads. On this 2016 Acadia, the wear bars were situated at the top of the inner pad and at the bottom of the outer pad. I recommend buying the Wagner ThermoQuiet QC883 rear brake pads since they have great reviews on Amazon. I also like how they don't require any backing plates, shims or disc brake quiet gel due the built in insulators. If your new set of brake pads included replacement brake hardware, pull the old metal pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket. Apply some brake caliper grease to the new pad abutment clips where they will come in contact with the bracket and the new pads. Push the new pad abutment clips in to the top and bottom of the bracket. In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins need to be well lubricated. Pull the two caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots, apply a thin layer of caliper grease and then push them back in to place. |
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Attach "F" Clamp To Piston |
Brake Fluid Reservoir |
Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap |
Attach the "C"
or "F" clamp to the caliper using the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute
the pressure across the piston. Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction. Removing the reservoir cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel back through the lines when you compress the caliper pistons. |
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Compress Back Caliper Piston |
Replace Brake Fluid Cap |
Install New Outer Pad |
Slowly turn the "F"
clamp handle in the clockwise direction to push back the piston until it
flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it. Repeatedly check the level in the reservoir to make sure that it doesn't over flow. Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since it can easily damage the painted surfaces. Try to avoid pinching or damaging the rubber dust boots that surround the caliper piston. Replace the brake fluid reservoir cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) by twisting it on in the clockwise direction. Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled.If your vehicle exhibits shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or it may be easier to just replace them with brand new rotors. If this is the car's first front brake job and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace the pads with great results. To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the Torx T30 (or "T-30") set screw and remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place. Install the new inner and outer brake pads in to the bracket. Make sure that the wear bars are situated in the correct position. The wear bars should be at the top of the inner brake and the bottom of the outer brake pad. |
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Wear Bars - Both Pads |
Push Pads Against Rotor |
Lower Caliper Over Pads |
Push the two pads
together until they are flush against the rotor. Carefully lower the rear caliper over the pads and in to the bracket. If the caliper won't fit over the thicker new pads, you may need to compress back the piston a bit further. |
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Spin In Top Caliper Bolt |
Replace Lower Caliper Bolt |
Tighten Top Caliper Bolt |
Spin in the two caliper bolts a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded. | ||
Tighten Bottom Caliper Bolt |
Rubber Valve Cap |
Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve |
Tighten the two
caliper bolts with the 14mm and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench in the
counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) to just
past hand tight or about 20 to 25 ft-lbs of torque. Double check that the two caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps. If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid might be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain a couple of air bubbles.It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide. The brake fluid bleeder valve is covered by a rubber cap and is located near the upper caliper bolt. |
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Push On Rear Wheel |
Spin On 6 Lug Nuts |
Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts |
Push the rear wheel
back in to place. Spin on the six lug nuts in the clockwise direction a few turns by hand to prevent them from becoming cross threaded. Slightly tighten the 6 lug nuts in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern with the lug nut wrench. |
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Lower Car From Stands |
Torque To 140 ft-lbs |
Rear Brake Pads Replaced |
Lower the vehicle
from the jack stands using the floor jack. Continue to progressively tighten the six lug nuts in a "criss cross" or "star" pattern to about 1/4 to 1/2 turn past hand tight. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an air gun with a torque stick to tighten the lug nuts to 140 lb-ft of torque.Sit in the driver's seat of the vehicle and pump the brake pedal a few times to restore brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, add some DOT 3 fluid. To break in your new rear brake pads, just drive normally for the first several hundred miles while avoiding any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new brake pads and cause them to be noisy and possibly not perform as well. It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir and also check that the lug nuts are still tight. For more, check out my other
2007-2016 GMC Acadia DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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